Anaya Nolan
Donald Trump's presidency has been marked by repeated clashes with the courts and Congress over executive overreach, with some legal experts claiming that his actions are testing legal boundaries and breaking federal laws. Despite this, many Republicans continue to support Trump, with few jumping ship entirely. This article will explore why Republicans are supporting Trump despite his controversial actions and the potential legal consequences.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Republicans are breaking from Trump | Few Republicans supported Trump's photo op in front of St. John's Church |
| Republicans are supporting Trump | Some Republican leaders and large swaths of the business community are openly supporting the Black Lives Matter movement |
| Republicans are breaking from Trump | Several GOP senators "cringed" at Trump's tweet suggesting a 75-year-old protester in Buffalo might be a member of Antifa |
| Republicans are supporting Trump | Trump's fellow Republicans have so far abdicated their responsibility to object to his unconstitutional lawbreaking spree |
| Republicans are breaking from Trump | Trump's approval rating has dropped ten points since May and has fallen below the 40% mark |
| Republicans are breaking from Trump | Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark A. Milley said he "should not" have been at the church photo op |
| Republicans are breaking from Trump | Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he was opposed to sending active-duty soldiers into American cities |
| Republicans are breaking from Trump | Former Defense Secretary James Mattis slammed the photo op and said he was "angry and appalled" that he had seen police officers "violate the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens" |
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What You'll Learn
Republicans are breaking from Trump
Trump's ability to divide the country by discovering and exploiting wedge issues also appears to have lessened, as some Republican leaders and large swaths of the business community are openly supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Few Republicans supported Trump's highly controversial photo op in front of St. John's Church, which was made possible only after protesters were cleared with tear gas and flash bangs. Several GOP senators "cringed" at Trump's tweet suggesting that a 75-year-old protester in Buffalo—who was shoved backward by the police and bled from his head after falling—might be a member of Antifa.
He's also facing dissent from the military: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark A. Milley said he "should not" have been at the church photo op; Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he was opposed to sending active-duty soldiers into American cities; and former Defense Secretary James Mattis slammed the photo op and added he was "angry and appalled" that he has seen police officers "violate the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens."
While Republicans are distancing themselves from the president on certain issues in recent weeks, few—besides Romney and possibly Murkowski—are jumping ship entirely, afraid of alienating Trump's base. However, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the panel's Republican vice chair, asserted that Trump can never "serve in any position of authority in our nation again."
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Trump's ability to divide the country
Despite some Republicans breaking from Trump, many continue to support him, even in the face of controversial actions and plummeting poll numbers. This support has been characterised as an "abdication" of responsibility by some, with the highly political Supreme Court ruling against Trump on certain issues, but repeatedly deferring to presidential power.
While Trump's ability to divide the country has been a source of strength for his supporters, it has also created deep divisions within the Republican Party and the country as a whole.
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Trump's photo op in front of St. John's Church
Republicans are supporting Trump despite his breaking of laws because the Supreme Court has proven highly deferential to presidential power.
On June 1, 2020, amid the George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C., law enforcement officers used tear gas and other riot control tactics to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square. This created a path for President Donald Trump and senior administration officials to walk from the White House to St. John's Episcopal Church. Trump held a Bible and posed for a photo op in front of Ashburton House, the church's parish house, which had been defaced by graffiti and damaged by a fire set during protests the night before.
The event was described by The New York Times as "a burst of violence unlike any seen in the shadow of the White House in generations" and possibly one of the defining moments of the Trump presidency. The pastor of St. John's Church was not notified of Trump's plans, and the bishop of the diocese said she was "outraged". Trump later said in an interview with Fox News Channel, "most religious leaders loved it. And why wouldn't they love it? I'm standing in front of a church that went through trauma. ... It's only the other side that didn't like it." However, only a small minority of church leaders expressed approval, while many more sharply criticised his performance.
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Trump's tweet about a 75-year-old protester
While many of Trump's supporters are cheering him on, some legal experts see a constitutional crisis unfolding, as many of Trump's moves raise urgent legal and constitutional questions that could take years to fully unravel. Trump's fellow Republicans have so far abdicated, and federal courts have a duty to step up.
On Tuesday, 9 June 2020, Trump tweeted an unfounded conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old protester, Martin Gugino, who was pushed by police in Buffalo, New York, and began bleeding immediately. Trump wrote:
> Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur. 75-year-old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment. @OANN (conservative outlet One America News) I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?
The tweet stunned some in a caucus that's grown used to the president's active Twitter feed. Sen. Lisa Murkowski gasped: "Oh lord, ugh. Why would you fan the flames??" But the missive mostly failed to get a rise out of Senate Republicans. Many know Trump will tweet something else soon they will be asked to respond to, even if the Buffalo tweet seemed a new frontier for Trump's insult-laden social media persona.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan criticised Trump for the tweet, calling it "disgusting". Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Trump should "go back to hiding in the bunker instead of tweeting baseless conspiracies about peaceful protestors and further dividing America".
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Trump's aggressive approach to his second term
Trump's ability to divide the country by exploiting wedge issues has lessened, as some Republican leaders and large swaths of the business community are openly supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. However, Trump continues to promote "law and order" on Twitter, and his fellow Republicans have so far failed to object to his anticonstitutional lawbreaking spree.
Trump's actions during his first term, such as his highly controversial photo op in front of St. John's Church, have led to dissent within the GOP and plummeting poll numbers. While some Republicans are distancing themselves from the president on certain issues, few are jumping ship entirely.
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Frequently asked questions
Republicans are not supporting Trump in breaking laws. In fact, many Republicans are breaking from Trump like never before.
Trump has been accused of attempting to dismantle independent agencies, granting private individuals access to sensitive government systems, and offering unprecedented federal employee buyouts.
Republicans have so far abdicated their responsibility to object to Trump's lawbreaking. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the Republican vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, asserted that Trump can never "serve in any position of authority in our nation again".
The consequences of Trump's lawbreaking are still being determined. The Jan. 6 committee has referred Trump to the Justice Department for investigation, but federal prosecutors will decide whether to pursue charges.
Some Republicans have distanced themselves from Trump on certain issues, but few have jumped ship entirely. Several GOP senators "cringed" at Trump's tweet suggesting that a 75-year-old protester in Buffalo might be a member of Antifa.
